Change is inevitable, but intentional change takes work. As a leader you guide your team through changes, and you often act as a change agent yourself. Here are some truths about change management that will help you navigate even the choppiest waters.
- Change is about people. You can’t force your will on people. If you want them to act differently, you need to inspire them to change themselves.
- Change takes time. Changing hearts, minds, and workplace cultures can’t be done at the snap of your fingers.
- Change requires vision. Describe what success looks like, and allow that vision to guide the change process.
- Change requires buy-in. Identify who will be affected by the change, and get them involved and invested.
- Change means trade-offs. Making new priorities means reducing or letting go of old ones.
- Work with the willing. Assemble a team of people who share your vision to champion the change.
- Overcommunicate — and then communicate some more.
- Listen. Look hard for the useful nuggets in what people tell you, and incorporate them into your plan.
- Empower the silent. Reserved team members may be more comfortable communicating their thoughts in private or anonymously.
- Learn as you go. Create new learning opportunities and career paths to support the change.
Each of these tools has its place, and success lies in its application. While knowing these tools is important, the role of a leader is modeling the behaviors you want to see your team demonstrating.